Immunotherapies claims rose on insurance coverage in 2017

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More health insurance coverage for expensive immunotherapies caused claims for immunotherapies to rise despite a decline in prescription days last year, government data showed.

According to data from the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service, claims for therapies to treat malignant tumors exceeded 1.1 trillion won ($1.01 billion) last year, after surpassing 1 trillion won in 2016.

The increase of claims came as the regulator granted health insurance coverage to two leading immunotherapies in August -- Keytruda (ingredient: pembrolizumab) of MSD Korea and Opdivo (ingredient: nivolumab) of Ono Pharmaceutical Korea and BMS Korea.